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These are the comments put forward by staff at our atrium event in Oxfam House in May. We've been following these up with Oxfam management but it's tough going. Please join IOU and help us push for real change.

"No scope for salary increase despite outstanding performance."

"I am at virtually the bottom of the pay scale and can’t move on – how does asking for a pay rise go down here? Is it possible? I have been ’slotted’ into ‘new’ jobs in restructures without any chance to discuss pay – and seen new people start in similar jobs who can discuss their ‘starting salary’ – which is above my situation as they can negotiate."

"If you start on the base line of a salary scale you virtually stay there!"

"Performance isn’t rewarded."

"There is embedded problem as scale of bottom and tops are adjusted upwards and people in the scales are not moved – so you can be in a job for 5 years – doing well, and only £200 or so above the ‘new’ base – at which new people are appointed. Its very demotivating and unfair to current staff – who we should be building up!"

"No way of progressing except through EPP (job needs to have changed by 25% to get this?)"

"Top of E too far above bottom of D?"

"Is there pay progression in Oxfam?!? I’m in exactly the same place on my range as when I started 5 years ago despite exceeding objectives EVERY YEAR."

"Performance-related pay, related to performance review."

"I think staff should be able to move up pay bands more easily." (seconded and thirded)

"I strongly agree with this. I’ve witnessed a number of occasions when we’ve recruited new staff members, with many years of Oxfam experience, to do the same/very similar job, just because the incoming person has argued more forcefully for a higher salary."

"Our pay policy should at the very least be fair and transparent."

"Leave > come back > negotiation > pay progression."

'“Even It Up” – practising what it preaches isn’t Oxfam’s strong point!'

"No pay progression = very high staff turnover = waste of Oxfam’s time and money"

"Could there be other rewards apart from pay?"

"I still think the system we used to have was better: limited stages of pay progression up to a ceiling, with the same rules applying to everyone. If that is not possible: institute pay progression at least for lower grades."

"Let’s create a fair pay progression policy!"

"I was promoted and told I couldn’t negotiate pay: my job doesn’t exist anywhere else outside of London so I can’t."

"I’ve been at the bottom of level C salary since 2009 and I manage a team and IT platforms – WHY?"

"We should split D-level bands into 2 grades." (seconded)

"What pay progression?" (seconded, thirded and fourthed)

"Level D: This is essential – staff of 2 years + are disengaged and will leave if their higher functions have no opportunity to be recognised in value. Would incentivise massively + retain skilled and loyal staff."

"Pay progression? What pay progression? I haven’t had one since 2007!"

"2 people in same role – same responsibilities etc. – different salaries! Why?" (Seconded)

"We should have a salary review every year."

"Incremental scales!"

"Bring it back!"

"No reward for outstanding rating" (seconded)

"D and E levels should get greater % increase."

"We’ve already completed a questionnaire on this!"

"Don’t say that you pay 5% above the charity median if you don’t (reality is that default is bottom of the grade regardless of charity median)Oxfam won’t keep experienced staff with entry level salariesIf shop managers are level D, why are cat2 and 3 underneath the base of level D?"

"Length of service and increased skills, experience and value to Oxfam should be recognised in our pay."

"Staff want it – No-one listening."

"Equal pay for jobs of equal worth."

"Pay progression policy now!"

"Please can we actually have pay progression? Thanks." (agreed)

"It's really needed to keep talent. New staff can come in at a higher level than experienced staff – seems unfair and unjust." (agree)

"I think we say we are an equal wage/pay employer but if this is so why aren’t we open about this internally? And why are salaries secret?"

"I’ve been with Oxfam 15 years and am quite a way from the top of my band – our system doesn’t reward experience – very demotivating."

"Certain divisions have positions that start above and beyond entire grade."

"If you move up a grade from D to C there is no chance of salary negotiation."

"Performance-related pay"

"We need incrememnts. We need to recognise service. No point in having a pay scale if yuo can’t move up it."

"Give bigger increase to lowest paid staff." (seconded)

"Stop moaning about pay if you want to work somewhere else go do it."

See the Policy forum for what the Exec plans to put forward on these policies (Oxfam is consulting on minor amends, which also offers the opportunity to suggest improvements). You can contribute, but we need to hear from you by 31 July.

Meeting notes from our latest monthly Exec meeting are now in the General Forum in the members' area. 

The Independent Oxfam Union's Executive believes that the staff survey results are a stark wakeup call for Oxfam. It is time to stop relying on the goodwill of staff because they believe in the cause and start taking serious action to become a better employer.

We welcome the fact that Mark Goldring and Penny Lawrence are responding with pledges to make changes, and we will be watching closely to make sure this happens. We are happy to get involved ourselves and do what we can to propose solutions. Our new Campaigns Officer Luke Gibson has already volunteered to join the Staff Survey Accountability Group.

What the Survey Shows

The survey shows that many staff believe they are not appreciated or valued by the organisation. It is easy to present this as an emotional response, but we know staff have good reasons for saying this. Some of these are:

A Pay System that Deters Staff from Remaining with Oxfam

• No effective pay progression mechanism or recognition for staff who develop in their roles and take on work far beyond their original remit yet may still earn the same as a new starter.
  
• No intermediate pay points within pay grades and the size of the D pay band in particular.
  
• Pay which has failed to keep pace with the cost of living, especially in expensive areas such as Oxford and London, leaving staff with the choice of paying out huge amounts to live near work or commuting for many hours a day. Many staff earn less in real terms than when they joined Oxfam.
  
• Lack of transparency over pay and the use of supplements, with higher paid staff more likely to start above the minimum of their grade.
  

Low Quality of Life/Benefits

• For shop managers in particular, excessive working hours (many unpaid) and low pay for a responsible role, and difficulty taking leave.
  
• Benefits that have been chipped away:  redundancy, pensions, health insurance, life insurance are among the benefits that have been removed or reduced in value.
  

Poor Employment Practices

Insecure employment and poor practice such as the massive use of fixed-term contracts which are renewed again and again, and overuse of consultants.

Multiple change processes and restructuring, followed by recruitment.

2020- Can Oxfam deliver?

The survey also shows that many of you are losing faith in the ability of leadership to deliver the 2020 project. The ongoing uncertainty and failure of leadership to agree a clear plan is severely impacting on the morale of staff. We need more honesty and facts about the future of Oxfam GB so staff can plan ahead.

Oxfam staff can contribute to the discussion around Oxfam 2020, centralised HR and the impact on workers' rights by going to:

https://oxfam.crowdicity.com/post/61255

In May this year the Telegraph reported that "an average trade union member earns £4,000-a-year more than non-unionised workers", partially attributing it to a "stagnation" or "reduction" in the hourly earnings of non-union members.

Surely this highlights the importance and relevance of trade unions in today's workplace.

Click here to read the full article.

The start-up committee is now making all the arrangements needed to set up a new union. It is likely that this will take from a few weeks to a month. We are aiming to hold elections for all posts in the union by 1 September at the latest. However, we cannot do this without your help.

Can you spare us any time at this crucial early stage? Areas of interest include finance, administration, research, law, communications, marketing and IT. Could you contribute your professional expertise and experience? We would love your help. Please get in touch with me!